[holding answer 25 January 2008]: No assessment has been made of the effect that the implementation of the Respect Agenda has had in West Chelmsford. However, the Local Government User Satisfaction Survey 2006-07 showed that between 2003 and 2006 the number of people perceiving antisocial behaviour as a very or fairly big problem in Chelmsford fell from 35 per cent. to 15 per cent.
Through the Respect programme, we introduced new approaches nationally to tackle the root causes of antisocial behaviour. Key commitments in the Government's Respect action plan have now been met and mainstreamed locally.
We are committed to building on the excellent progress made across the country, working with local authorities and the police to tackle the problems on the ground but also to deal with the root causes through early intervention and prevention.
Three independent reports on the Government's strategy to tackle antisocial behaviour show that it is working: The Home Affairs Select Committee Report, the National Audit Office report (2006) and Public Accounts Committee Report (2007). Public perceptions of antisocial behaviour being a problem locally are down as shown in the British Crime Survey and the Local Government User Satisfaction Survey 2006-07.